Trash pulverizer

ABSTRACT

A trash receptacle for domestic or other use is equipped with a series of elongated bars of abrasive material. The bars, which may preferably be square in cross section, are mounted horizontally in side-by-side parallel relation, with opposite corner edges of each bar in the vertical plane of its center axis. The bars are driven in reciprocating manner in their lengthwise directions, with adjacent bars moving in opposite directions. Dry trash of all kinds, including bottles, cans, plastic containers, cardboard containers, paper products, and food remnants, are deposited in the receptacle. The trash contacts the continuously moving reciprocating abrasive bars and is gradually reduced to a pulverized state by the attrition or wearing-away action. The pulverized particles of trash are scooped up and carried by a continuously moving bucket conveyor to a collection bag which is removed from time to time, as by the housewife.

United States Patent Smith [451 Mn. 25, 1972 [5 TRASH 2,593,657 4/l952Coon ct al ..24l/267 X [72] Inventor: Dale R. Smith, York, Pa. PrimaryExaminer Roben L. Sprui [73] Assignee: Yon-1r Research & DevelopmentCorp, Red o-P & l

Lion, Pa.

7 [22] Filed: June 24, 11970 [5 1 ABSTRACT Appl. No.: 49,213

A trash receptacle for domestic or other use is equipped with a seriesof elongated bars of abrasive material. The bars, which may preferablybe square in cross section, are mounted horizontally in side-by-sideparallel relation, with opposite corner edges of each bar in thevertical. plane of its center axis. The bars are driven in reciprocatingmanner in their lengthwise directions, with adjacent b-ars moving inopposite directions. Dry trash of all kinds, including bottles, cans,plastic containers, cardboard containers, paper products, and foodremnants, are deposited in the receptacle. The trash contacts thecontinuously moving reciprocating abrasive bars and is gradually reducedto a pulverized state by the attrition or wearing-away action. Thepulverized particles of trash are scooped up and carried by acontinuously moving bucket conveyor to a collection bag which is removedfrom time totime, as by the housewife.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEU JAH2519T2 MEI 1 M d 16 xxxw/zdw@EEEEEEEJ INVENTOR.

Dale R. Smith ATTORNEYS PATENIEUJAN2519YZ 363K144 l sum ablr 4 INVENTOR.

g- 2 Dale R. Smith ATTOR N EYS.

PAIENIH] JANZS I972 3,637,144 MUG? INVENTOR. DuIe R. Smith Y MY MATTORNEYS.

FATENTED M25 {972 mm? a INVENTOR.

Dale R. Smith ATTORNEYS.

rnAsn PULVIEIIIZEII BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An average householddevelops a considerable amount of trash and garbage which requirescollection and disposal at relatively frequent intervals. The usualhousehold trash includes such things as glass bottles and jars, plasticbottles, tubes, bags, containers and sheets, metal cans, cardboard boxesand containers, and a wide variety of paper products, as well as othermiscellaneous items. In addition, a considerable amount of garbage, bothwet and dry, must be disposed of. The disposal of such trash and garbagehas presented a continuing problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A principal object of the present invention isto provide a device which may be installed in the kitchen of the averagehome or apartment and used by the housewife to reduce the trash (and drygarbage) to a pulverized form which may then be easily handled fordisposal through the usual trash or garbage collection agencies.

Another object is to provide a device of the character referred to abovewhich is of sturdy construction so as to require but little maintenance,and which can be manufactured, sold and installed at reasonable prices.

Another object is to provide a device or apparatus as described abovewhich will be relatively vibrationless and quiet.

Another object is to provide a device as described above which may beinstalled in the counter of the kitchen, or which may be housed andinstalled as a separate item, portable or fixed.

Another object is to provide a device of the type described which may beconstructed on an enlarged scale to provide trash pulverizing service tousers having larger demands, such as hotels, restaurants, and industryin general.

The foregoing objects are achieved by providing a trash receptaclehaving incorporated therein power-driven abrasive elements which, by acontinuous grinding or attrition action, gradually reduce the trash to apulverized form. In accordance with the presently preferred embodimentof the invention, the abrasive elements are a series of horizontallydisposed parallel bars which, by eccentric drive means, are reciprocatedback and forth along their longitudinal axes with adjacent bars beingdriven in out'of-phase relation. That is, when one bar is moving to theleft, the adjacent bars on either side thereof are moving to the right.The length of the reciprocating stroke is relatively small, as forexample, onequarter inch in each direction from the center position.While the abrasion bars may be circular in cross section (or othershapes) I prefer that the bars be of square cross section, and that thebars be so mounted in parallel side-by-side relation that oppositecorner edges of each bar are in the vertical plane of the bar's centeraxis, with the other pair of opposite corner edges being in thehorizontal plane of the bars center axis.

While other means for collecting the pulverized trash may be employed, Iprefer to install, in the housing of the unit, a continuously movingbucket conveyor arranged to scoop the trash particles from a collectiontrough at the bottom of the housing and carry the particles upward forautomatic dumping into a collection bag which may be removed from timeto time by the housewife, or other person.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of atrash reducer or pulverizer according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention looking along the line 1-1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus looking along theline 22 of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view showing, among other things, thepivot shaft, rocker arm, cradle and eccentric which reciprocates theindividual abrasive bar in its lengthwise direction;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view, partly in section, looking down along theline ll-d of FIG. 2 and showing two adjacent eccentrics on the driveshaft;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational view in cross section along the line55 of FIG. 2 showing the relative positions of two adjacent abrasivebars at the ends thereof;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary illustration showing how the bucket elevatorfunctions to scoop up the pulverized trash material and carry it upwardfor dumping into a collection bag;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing a typical conveyor bucket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing,and particularly to FIGS. I and 2, the trash pulverizer unit of thepresent invention may be housed in a housing I0 having front and rearwalls 11 and I2, sidewalls 113 and M, a bottom 115, and atop I6.Inserted in the top 16 is a hinged lid 17 which provides access to thetrash receptacle. In the drawing, the housing I0 is indicated as beingmade of wood, such as plywood, but any suitable material may be used.

Mounted within the housing 10 is a trash receptacle 20, which isillustrated as having no separate top or bottom, i.e., none other thanthe top and bottom walls of the housing It). Of course, a separatebottom and/or a separate top may be provided for the trash receptacle,if necessary or desired. The front and backwalls 211 and 22 of thereceptacle extend all the way to the floor of the housing. The sidewalls23 of the receptacle terminate just above the level of the series ofabrasion bars 70, and to prevent trash material from bypassing the bars,the lower edges of the sidewalls 23 may preferably be of sawtoothconfiguration, as shown in FIG. I, conforming to the contour of theclamps which hold the abrasion bars.

Mounted on the floor of the housing I0, preferably in one cornerthereof, is a motor 30 which drives, through a belt 31, a gear reduceror speed changer 35, which, in turn, drive an endless bucket conveyor100. Motor 30, through a drive belt 36, also drives pulley 37 which iskeyed to a shaft 40 which carries a series of eccentrics 41. The shaft40 is journaled for rotation in a couple of pillow blocks 43 and 44mounted on the sidewalls of the housing I0.

Fixed to the floor of the housing I0 are a pair of pillow blocks 50 inwhich a shaft 52 is supported. As seen in FIG. I, shaft 52 extendsacross most of the width of the housing just above the housing floor.Mounted free on shaft 52 are a plurality of rocker arms 54 in seriesalong the shaft, the hubs 53 of the rocker arms abutting each other.Twelve rocker arms 54 are illustrated but this number may be increasedor decreased according to the design of the particular unit.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the rocker arms 54 terminates at its upperend in a yoke 56 the upper end of which is closed by an elongated cradle55 which extends in both directions from the center axis of the rockerarm 54.. At each end of the cradle 55 is a seat 64 for receiving andsupporting the ends of the abrasion bars.

Yoke structure 56 has a rectangular opening 57 therethrough, the longerdimension being in the vertical direction and the shorter dimensionbeing in the horizontal direction. Fitted within the rectangular opening57 is a bearing block 58 having a circular opening therein in which isfitted an annular bearing 59. Fitted within the annular bearing 59 is aneccentric 4i, keyed, as by a key 42, to the shaft 40 on which the pulley37 is mounted, as seen in FIG. 1.

Referring again to FIG. 3, each cradle 55 has, at each end, anupstanding portion 62 having therein a V-notch forming the seat 64 forreceiving the ends of an abrasion bar 70. The bar 70 is secured to eachseat 64 by a clamp 67 which may be secured to the ends of the cradle 55as by a pair of screws 68. Cushions 6S and as, of rubber or othersuitable material, are interposed between the bar 70 and the clamp andseat.

As previously indicated, 12 rocker assemblies, each carrying an abrasivebar 70, are provided in the illustrated unit. The

structure of each of the 12 rocker assemblies is identical, but adjacenteccentrics 41 are keyed to shaft 40 180 out of phase with each other.This is illustrated in FIG. 4 where two eccentrics, identified as Ma and41b, illustrate eccentrics in adjacent positions on the shaft 40. InFIG. 4, eccentric 41a is shown at that point in its cycle such that theyoke 56a is in its leftmost position, whereas eccentric 41b is at thatpoint in its cycle such that the yoke 56b is in its rightmost position.As shaft 40 continues to rotate, in the clockwise direction indicated bythe arrow in FIG. 4, eccentric 41a will, during the next 180 ofrotation, cause its bearing block 58a to rise and then return in therectangular slot 57a, while at the same time causing the yoke 56a tomove to the right, as indicated by the arrow. Simultaneously, eccentric41b is causing its bearing block 58b to fall and then return in itsrectangular slot 57b while at the same time causing the yoke 56b to moveto the left, as indicated by the arrow. During the following 180, theyokes 56a and 56b return to the positions shown in FIG. 4, to complete acycle. The movements of adjacent yokes are repeated cyclically, andcause the abrasion bars 70, carried by the yokes, to move axially backand forth in reciprocating manner, the movement of adjacent bars being180 out of phase with each other, while alternate bars move in phasewith each other.

Since the abrasion bars 70 are mounted on the rocker arms 54 which aremoved in pivotal reciprocating manner on the shaft 40, and sincealternate bars 70 are moved in opposing directions, there will be aslight difference in the elevational positions of adjacent abrasivebars, particularly at the ends thereof. This is illustrated in FIGS. 1,2and 5.

In FIG. 1, considering the leftmost bar to be the first bar, the first,third, fifth, seventh, ninth and 1 1th bars are shown at their extremeor limit positions in a direction which is out of the paper, as viewedin FIG. 1, while the even numbered bars have moved to their limitpositions in a direction which is into the paper. Thus, in FIG. 1, theends of the odd'numbered bars are lower than the ends of the evennumbered bars.

In FIG. 2, the nearer bar 70b is shown in its rightmost position, whilebar 70a is shown in its leftmost position. FIG. 5 is a view lookingalong the line 5-5 of FIG. 2 at the right ends of the bars 70a and 70b.It will be seen that the end of bar 70a is slightly higher than the endof bar 70b. This increases slightly the spacing 80 between the adjacentcorner edges of adjacent bars. It is through the spacing 80 that thepulverized trash material falls. Hence, the spacing 80 determines thesize of the particles which may pass through to the collection area.

Referring again to FIG. 1, secured to the sidewalls of the housing 10,below the level of the array of abrasion bars 70, is an inclined ramp 90for causing the trash particles which pass through the openings 80 toslide down into a collection trough 91. To allow for installation andremoval, the ramp 90 is formed in two parts secured together as byscrews 92. Each of the parts of the ramp terminates in a slotted edgewhich face each other, forming closed slots through which the rockerarms 54 pass.

While various means may be used for collecting the pulverized trashparticles, I prefer to employ an endless bucket conveyor 100 which, inthe illustration, is shown supported on the left wall 13 of the housing10. Fixed mounted for rotation near each of the four comers of thesidewall 13 are sprockets 101 about which the endless conveyor istrained. Three of the sprockets 101 are idlers, but the fourth sprocketidentified as 101d, is fixed to a shaft which is driven rotationally bythe gear reducer 35. Buckets 102 are provided at closely spacedintervals along the conveyor 100. These buckets 102, which may be asshown enlarged in FIG. 7, function as scoops as they pass through thecollection trough 91. This scooping action is illustrated in FIG. 6. Thescooped up particles are carried up in the buckets 102 to the upper partof the housing and, then, as the buckets change their course from upwardto lateral, the contents of the buckets are spilled out and drops downon to an inclined ledge 18 which deflects the trash particles into acollection bag 110 which is supported from a bracket 24 fixed to thesidewall of the trash receptacle 20.

The trash reducer or pulverizer just described would be allowed to runcontinuously, or almost continuously. The housing 10 of the unit wouldbe provided with sound-absorbing material as may be required to make theunit unobjectionable as to noise.

Operation Each time the housewife had trash (or dry garbage) to disposeof, she would merely lift the lid 17 and drop the trash into thereceptacle 20. She would know, or would soon learn, that the lightertrash such as paper napkins, paper towels, cleaning tissue, etc., arepreferably dropped into the receptacle before the heavier items, such ascans and bottles, are dropped in, so that the heavier articles may holdthe lighter items against the reciprocating abrasive bars. Or, she mayrearrange the articles, after deposit into the receptacle, to achievethe same result. (If necessary, the receptacle 20 may readily beprovided with a spring-loaded pusher plate for pushing the trasharticles down into contact with the abrasion bars. A limit stop would beprovided for preventing the push plate from contacting the bars). Thecontinuous reciprocating motion of the abrasion bars 70 graduallyreducesthe trash items to a finely divided or pulverized state. Toreduce, for example, a can or a bottle to a pulverized state may, forexample, take up to 24 hours. But at the end of that or a comparableperiod of time, the article will have been gradually reduced, first intorelatively larger bits, then into smaller bits, then into still smallerbits, and finally into particles small enough to pass through thespacings between the reciprocating bars. At first, the trash articlesare engaged only by the upper edge portions of the abrasion bars. It isnot until the trash item is reduced considerably in size that contact ismade with the valley portions of the V-notches formed by the adjacentbars. in the drawings, the bars 70 are square in cross section, eachface being 1 inch wide. The reciprocating stroke of the bars may besmall. For example, each bar may move one-eighth to one fourth inch toeach side of its center position, a total movement of one-fourth toone-half inch.

The abrasion bars 70 are preferably made of low-wear highly abrasivematerial, such as silicon carbide. In time, the upper surfaces of thebars, particularly the apex portions, will wear. When that occurs, thebars may be inverted so that the two unworn lower faces become the upperfaces.

While I have shown bars 70 to be of square cross section, and while thisshape is presently preferred, the abrasion bars could take othercross-sectional shapes. For example, the bars could be polygonal, orround, or oval, in cross section.

The reciprocating motion of the bars, with adjacent bars out of phasewith each other, is a preferred motion. However, reduction of the trashitems to finely divided pulverized state may also be achieved by rotarymotion of the abrasive material. For example, the receptacle 20 may beequipped with one or more abrasive wheels rotating on vertical axes.

lclaim:

l. A trash pulverizer comprising:

a. a housing;

b. abrasive element means mounted for movement in said housing; saidabrasive element means abrasive material mounted in side-by'sideparallel relation in a generally horizontal plane;

c. means for driving said abrasive element means; said drive meansincluding means for driving said bars in their axial directions inreciprocating fashion; and

d. a trash receptacle in said housing in communication with saidabrasive element means, whereby trash items deposited in said receptaclecontact said driven abrasive element means, thereby to reduce said trashitems gradually to small size particles.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized by the provision of:

a. a collection bag for said reduced particles supported in saidhousing;

b. conveyor means mounted in said housing;

c. a collection trough receiving said reduced particles;

d. means for driving said conveyor means through said collection troughfor collecting said particles and carrying said particles to saidcollection bag.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterized in that said drive meansfor said abrasive bars includes means for reciprocating some of the barsout-ofphase with others of the bars.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that said drive meansincludes means for reciprocating adjacent bars 180 out of phase witheach other.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterized in that said drive meansincludes means for reciprocating alternate bars in phase with eachother.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2 further characterized in that saidconveyor means comprises an endless bucket conveyor having the bucketspivotally mounted and adapted to function to scoop up the particles issaid trough and to carry them up to said collection bag, and to depositthem in said collection bag.

7 Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that said drive meansincludes:

a. a fixed shaft;

a series of rocker arms mounted on said fixed shaft for pivotalmovement;

c. means on said rocker arms supporting said abrasive bars;

d. a drive shaft e. a series of eccentrics fixed on said drive shaft forrotation therewith;

f. each of said eccentrics engaging a different rocker arm forreciprocating said rocker arm pivotally on said fixed shaft.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 characterized in that:

a. said abrasive bars are square in cross section;

b. said abrasive bars are so mounted that diagonally opposing corneredges of each bar lie in the same vertical plane, with the other twodiagonally opposing corner edges lying in the same horizontal plane.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 characterized by the provision of:

a. a collection bag for said reduced particles supported in said saidhousing;

b. conveyor means mounted in said housing;

c. a collection trough receiving said reducing particles;

d. means for driving said conveyor means through said col lection troughfor collecting said particles and carrying said particles to saidcollection bag.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,637,144 Dated anuary 25, 1972 Invehtofls) Dale mith It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 59, after "means" insert --comprising an array ofelongated bars 015-- Signed and sealed this 15th day of August 1972(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLE'I('IIIER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCI-IALK v Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents

1. A trash pulverizer comprising: a. a housing; b. abrasive elementmeans mounted for movement in said housing; said abrasive element meanscomprising an array of elongated bars of abrasive material mounted inside-by-side parallel relation in a generally horizontal plane; c. meansfor driving said abrasive element means; said drive means includingmeans for driving said bars in their axial directions in reciprocatingfashion; and d. a trash receptacle in said housing in communication withsaid abrasive element means, whereby trash items deposited in saidreceptacle contact said driven abrasive element means, thereby to reducesaid trash items gradually to small size particles.
 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 characterized by the provision of: a. a collectionbag for said reduced particles supported in said housing; b. conveyormeans mounted in said housing; c. a collection trough receiving saidreduced particles; d. means for driving said conveyor means through saidcollection trough for collecting said particles and carrying saidparticles to said collection bag.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1characterized in that said drive means for said abrasive bars includesmeans for reciprocating some of the bars out-of-phase with others of thebars.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 characterized in that said drivemeans includes means for reciprocating adjacent bars 180* out of phasewith each other.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 characterized in thatsaid drive means includes means for reciprocating alternate bars inphase with each other.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 2 furthercharacterized in that said conveyor means comprises an endless bucketconveyor having the buckets pivotally mounted and adapted to function toscoop up the particles is said trough and to carry them up to saidcollection bag, and to deposit them in said collection bag.
 7. Apparatusaccording to claim 3 characterized in that said drive means includes: a.a fixed shaft; b. a series of rocker arms mounted on said fixed shaftfor pivotal movement; c. means on said rocker arms supporting saidabrasive bars; d. a drive shaft; e. a series of eccentrics fixed on saiddrive shaft for rotation therewith; f. each of said eccentrics engaginga different rocker arm for reciprocating said rocker arm pivotally onsaid fixed shaft.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 characterized inthat: a. said abrasive bars are square in cross section; b. saidabrasive bars are so mounted that diagonally opposing corner edges ofeach bar lie in the same vertical plane, with the other two diagonallyopposing corner edges lying in the same horizontal plane.
 9. Apparatusaccording to claim 8 characterIzed by the provision of: a. a collectionbag for said reduced particles supported in said housing; b. conveyormeans mounted in said housing; c. a collection trough receiving saidreducing particles; d. means for driving said conveyor means throughsaid collection trough for collecting said particles and carrying saidparticles to said collection bag.